Carnevale is an Italian word derived from the Latin expressions carnis (meaning meat or flesh; ablative: carne) and "levare" (meaning remove). So "carnevale" means literally "remove meat". It refers to the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, the traditional Christian period of 40 days before Easter, commemorating the 40 days Jesus fasted in the desert, which was a period of abstaining from meat and other pleasures of the flesh. So it was the day to get those last enjoyments in. "Mardi gras" (French for "Fat Tuesday") refers to the same day. Also known as "Shrove Tuesday".In Italy this holiday is celebrated with parades where children dress up in costumes. The most famous parade and exhibition of elaborate costumes is in Venice. Traditional pastries of fried dough covered in powdered sugar are also wildly available in local bread shops.
- Carnival, an overview
Carnevale may also refer to:
- Andrea Carnevale (born 1961), Italian former football player
- Ben Carnevale (1915–2008), American basketball coach, member of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
- Carnival of Venice (Italian: Carnevale di Venezia), an annual festival held in Venice, Italy
- Corrado Carnevale (born 1930), Italian judge
- Fra Carnevale ("Brother Carnevale", 1420/25 – 1484), Italian Renaissance painter
- Giovanni Carnevale (1924–2021), Italian priest
- Graciela Carnevale (born 1942), Argentine artist
- Mark Carnevale (born 1960), American golfer, 1992 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year
- Massimo Carnevale (born 1967), Italian cartoonist
- Roberto Carnevale (born 1966), Italian composer
- Carne Vale, the accompanying music track for the Homestuck animation "[S]: GAME OVER"
See also
- Carnevali, a surname
- Carnivàle, an American television series
- Carnival (disambiguation)